Stonington Vineyards – 2012

Before you enter the long and not so winding rock road you immediately see the vineyard sign welcoming you to the vineyard. For me this is when I get excited as I know I’m going to be tasting some wines in the very near future.

As I turned around the slight bend to enter the parking lot I spot a black limo just sitting there with nothing better to do except wait for its inhabitants. Actually, this is a smart thing to do especially if you’re opting to drink instead of just taste the wines. Or, as I found out when I got inside there was a bridal party (hence, the limo outside the tasting room) visiting some of the local wineries to scout the place the bride would eventually tie the knot and hold the wedding reception.

Of course we cannot forget the proverbial signs letting us know where the wine tasting will begin.

Once inside the tasting room there is a person at the cash register asking if you want to do a wine tasting. The cost is $12 for 7 wines plus you get to keep the signature wine glass. So below are the wines I got to taste.

2010 Sheer Chardonnay ($16.99): On the nose I found apple orchard aroma just like the middle of October when apples are prime for picking. The flavor was pretty much like biting into that apple you just picked for the orchard plus there was some minerality on the finish.

2010 Chardonnay ($20.99): Again, I found apple on the nose but mixed in with this were hints of vanilla, subtle but nonetheless it was there. As no surprise apple flavor followed and was similar to their Sheer Chardonnay.

2010 Vidal Blanc ($12.99): This dry white wine opened with floral and citrusy notes on the nose and followed with a concoction of lemon, lime, orange, nectarine, and peach flavors. This was a delicious wine and the wine bar staff seem to have perfected the art of serving white wine at exactly the right temperature. This is one of the best Vidal Blancs I’ve had and it’s at a very good price too.

2010 Riesling ($16.99): Another favorite of mine is this wine also served at the right chilled temperature. It opened with grapefruit, orange, and pineapple aromas. So, this wine was off to a good start and the flavors just blew me away with papaya, apricot, peach, and mango with hints of lime on the finish proved to be my favorite Stonington Vineyards wine. And yes, I have a few bottles of this in my wine cellar.

Seaport White ($10.99): The Seaport White is probably their best selling wine. It is a crisp, dry, fruity wine with a fruit bowl aroma and flavor. I did find a bit of sweetness to the wine but it was definitely not a sweet wine which was very pleasing to the palate. This would go great on a picnic and would compliment a number of foods you’d likely take on a picnic. A really nice wine given the cost.

2010 Triad Rosé ($15.99): This wine really surprised me. It is a blend of Cabernet Franc, Vidal Blanc, and Chardonnay. The actual percentages are unknown as I did not inquire as to what they were. On the nose I found cherry and fruit bowl aromas. On the palate were cherry, spice and pepper flavors. Served slightly chilled would also be a great picnic wine too. I can see this going great with a variety of picnic sandwiches. I’m really becoming a fan of Rosés.

2008 Cabernet Franc ($20.99): The Stonington Vineyards Cabernet Franc has always been one of my favorite red wines. On the nose I found a medley of dark berries – cherry, blackberry, and raspberry with earth notes lingering at the end. The flavors were predominately cherry with nuances of mocha and spice with hints of fresh cracked pepper.